Rebound
by potterxoncer
Summary: After both being broken up with a week before Valentines Day, Belle French and Ryan Gold go to the bar. When they meet, and after a little pushing, they find out they are in the same situation. They talk and laugh and even shed a few tears, but what will become of it? And will it just be a rebound for both? Rumbelle


Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! If your single like me then you probably are reading while all you friends are on dates! But who cares, us fans know how to have fun by our selfs! ️️️

And if you aren't single you will enjoy the read to!!!

(Also, side note, Gold doesn't have a cane because I like it better when he doesn't)

(The 333 is the divider, it was supposed to look like hearts but the app is being weird)

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Belle sat with her whiskey in hand, normally she wouldn't drink that hard or a liquor but she needed it. A week before Valentine's Day and she had gotten dumped. And to think, she gave him so many chances. She looked around the bar and saw that no one else was really in there. Aesop's Tables was so much better then The Rabbit Hole. Not as many guys trying to get her number, and that was the last thing she needed right now, until he walked in. She had secretly thought he was a little more than attractive for months, but could never do anything about it. She had had a boyfriend, and as she remembered he had a girlfriend. But by the look on his face, that might have changed just like it had for her.

"Fire whiskey." He said to the bar tender

"Certainly, Mr Gold"

They both sat quietly for a few minutes, both nursing the whiskeys and having thoughts run through their minds. I became to much for Belle to bare so she broke the silence.

"What did life throw at you?" He merely looked at her and then back down at his drink

"Miss French, I prefer not to speak of it" his Scottish voice was a bit deeper then normal, but full of annoyance

"There is no better way to get over a broken hea- anything, then to talk about it" she stripped herself before stating 'broken heart'

"If you wish to speak to some Miss French, I'm sure Doctor Hopper would love to see you." He didn't even look up from his drink that time

"Come on Mr Gold, at least try and talk about you problems, it might help. We are practically the only ones here." She knew he was upset, and by the pain she saw in his eyes, it was about the same thing as her. She needed to talk to someone who understood her pain.

"Miss French, I'm in no mood for a hope speech if that's what your going to try and do."

"I'm not trying to give you a hope speech, I'm trying to talk to you because I'm pretty sure we share the same problem at the moment." She was talking a bit sweeter then normal to try and persuade him a bit more into talking.

"And what might you think that problem is Miss French?" He finally turned to face her and sat back in the bar stole slightly, looking annoyed

"A broken heart." She said slightly emotional

"I assure you Miss French, a 'broken heart' is not why I am here. I suffering from lose."

"Was it from someone you love?"

"Perhaps. Those words where never used but I may have almost felt that feeling"

"So it is a broke heart. It's okay you know, I feel the same way right now"

"Who would be dumb enough to dump you?" The words left his mouth before he could take them back, she only blushed slightly and answered

"My boyfriend Grant." They locked eyes for a moment before she reached for his drink, she broke the slightly uncomfortable situation with "What about you?"

"A women named Milah. Turns out she dumped me because she wanted more money." He said flatly "So, why did Grant," he hissed his name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth "break up with you? If you don't mind my asking?"

"Funny story, I caught him cheating again and when I confronted him about it he broke up with me. Said I was crazy and to much to handle." She looked to see one of his eyebrows raised

"Did you say 'again'? As in, happened before?"

"Yeah... it has happened two other times. Every time we made up and acted like nothing ever happened" she acted like her being cheated on was nothing

"Then why are you sitting here all sad? He cheated on you multiple times and now you don't have anything to worry about. I would be celebrating if I were you." He took a sip of his drink

"You would think that, but I loved him. That's why I gave him all those chances. Love." She felt a few tears fall and watched as he reached and gave her a napkin.

"Love. It's really just a word to describe an emotion. The word it's self has no real meaning. Sort of like you broken heart term. It's just a few words to describe an event."

"So you don't believe in love?"

"Right now no, I see no reason. Do you believe in love Miss French?"

"You can call me Belle, and yes I do."

"If I call you Belle I insist you call me Ryan. It only seems fair. But why, pray tell, do you believe such thing Mis- Belle"

"Well of course I believe in love, but I believe love is layered. Love is like a mystery to be uncovered. It has to be a mystery you want to uncover."

"Did you want to 'uncover' this Grant of yours?" He said with a slight smirk, knowing the term could have a double meaning. It made Belle blush slightly as she thought about it

"I thought I had to be honest, the the first time he cheated on me I had to open a hole investigation, then again the second time."

"Why never reopening an old file?" He leaned forward slightly

"Each time he felt like a new person. I can imagine how you feel, don't you see Cora differently now that you know she is engaged?"

"Yes and no. She always seemed a bit off, no matter what was happening. She never really wanted to go out to eat, always order in. I just never picked up on the signs."

"That doesn't answer my question" she giggled, he thought it was a pleasant sound "don't you see her in a different light?

"Somewhat, I still view her as before, everything just makes a bit more sense. All of the pieces fit together"

"You didn't love her." Belle said after their silence when the bar tender had come to refill their drink

"What?" He looked at her slightly surprised

"I can tell by the way you talked about her. You didn't love her, probably never would."

"I guess now I don't have to find out" he laughed slightly, Belle thought it was a pleasant sound, it was a deep sound, it matched his deep Scottish accent well.

"I just stinks it was a week before Valentine's Day. I guess a good book will be my date this year." She laughed

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot that was coming up," he thought for a moment to word his next words carefully "what if we spent it together?"

Belle nearly chocked in her drink "What?" She asked slightly wide eyed

"We could go somewhere nice" he said with a slight smile

"I don't really know you that well-"

"Come to my shop everyday until Valentine's Day, if by the end of the week you get to know me better and are comfortable with it, we will go on a date. Do we have a deal?"

Belle thought for a moment, it could be fun to go out for a night and I do kinda already like him, why not, "Sure" she reached out to shake his hand

"Today is Friday, come by until next Friday, Valentine's Day, and give me your answer then. Oh, you work at the library, correct?"

"Yes, I give my rent to you every month Mr- Ryan" she had almost forgotten she was allowed to use his first name

"Consider it gone for this month, as most of your time this week will he spent with me anyway. You are rent free this month." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, he never gave anyone the month off rent.

This might not be such a bad week after all.

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Day 1- Saturday

She arrived at the Mr Gold Pawnbroker and Antiquities Dealer an hour after it opened. She was nervous and excited. She looked down at her phone, she had gotten a few texts from Grant late last night. But after her chat with Ryan, she chose to ignore them.

"Hello Mr Go- Ryan." she said as she walked up to where he stood behind the counter

"Hello Belle" he gave her a slight smile and as turned to face her

She walked up to the counter and asked "So, what exactly am I going to do while I'm here?"

"Whatever I need you to do," He said with a slight smirk "I'm joking, I'm to much of a gentleman to do anything like that. But yes, you will do some of anything I need you to do but not much. You will mostly just do whatever you want and hang out with me."

Belle thought for a moment "Do you have any books?" she leaned against the counter slightly

"Of course I do, this is an antique store after all," he walked toward the curtain that led to the back "follow me"

The rest of the day was spent in some awkward chatter. They seemed to be getting closer but not enough for Belle to go on that date yet.

"So? Whats your opinion so far?" Gold asked as he closed up the shop on the first day

"Not bad," she said with a slight smile, which soon turned into a bit of a frown "but, I don't know if it's enough to go out yet"

"I still have six days" he smirked "do you need a ride home?" he held the passenger door to his Cadillac open for her

"I would love one" she got in his car and he drove her home, the first day turning out good

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Day 2,3, and 4

Day 2 and 3 went well, they were getting closer but Belle still wasn't sure. It wasn't until Day 4 when things started to pick up.

"Hey Belle, can you help me with this?" Ryan called from the backroom while she was walking around the front

"Sure what is it?" she said as she went through the curtain to the back, she saw a ladder and Ryan standing at the bottom with a book.

"I need you to get up there and get a box of old candlesticks and clocks, I would get it but in my old age I might fall off and not get back up" he gestured for her to get on the ladder, as she walked up she spoke

"First, of all, your not that old. Secondly-"

"I'm 48 Belle." he cut her off

"And i'm 27, but I don't care. Anyway, secondly, I would come help you if you fell" she got up on the ladder. Everything was fine until she stood on her tip toes to reach the box and lost her footing. She felt herself in the air for a small moment before feeling two strong arms catch her.

He watched her to make sure she grabbed the right thing and didn't fall. He spoke to soon however when he saw her foot slip and her fall back towards the floor. As if on instinct he caught her.

"Th-Thank you" she said blushing deep red

"Looks like I'm not the one who falls, now am I" he smirked as he set her feet on the floor

Belle's mind about that date was starting to change

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Day 5

Belle was in the back reading while Ryan worked at his desk. She couldn't stay focused on he book thought, as she kept looking at him. Whenever he wasn't looking, which was a lot because he was very focused, she would look at him.

He looked up and saw her staring at him, she blushed an turned away. He smirked. "You could take a picture, it would last longer."

"Smartass," she murmured "I was thinking and just happened to be looking at you"

He laughed, it was a deeper laugh "it's fine Belle, it was a quip." They locked eyes for a moment before Belle went back to her book.

'Am I falling in love with him? What if I am? He is clearly interested in me. But what if it's just a rebound? I don't care about Gary, but he may still have feeling for his ex.' Thoughts like this were running through Belle's head as she lay in bed late at night, unable to sleep

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Day 6

A sleep deprived Belle walked into Golds shop to what sounded like an argument

"Milah, why are you here still, get out." Cane from the back room

"Come on Ryan, I was wrong to break up with you"

"You left me for another guy! What happened, he not have as much money as you thought?"

"No. Ryan, that's not important, what is is that I still love you."

"Milah-" Ryan heard a loud slam of the bell of the front of the shop. 'Belle' he thought with a sad look, he wanted to go after her "Milah, you better be gone by the time I get back."

"Fine Ryan, this was time last chance, try not to miss m-" the shop door slammed closed as he left

"Belle wait!" He called after her as she quickly walked away from the place where her dreams had been crushed "Belle! Please!" He caught up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away.

"Go away." She wouldn't look at him, she kept her head down as she walked toward the library

"Belle, look at me." She still wouldn't look at him

"I heard Milah, she still loves you." She could feel the cold air start to hit her tears

"But I don't love her." She finally looked up at him and stopped walking, they were almost to the library.

"Belle, being with you this week has been great," he grabbed her hand as she uncrossed her arm. "I don't want Milah, I want you."

"But how do I know you don't still love her? How do I know I'm not just a rebound to get over her?"

"If you where a rebound I wouldn't have taken this much time to try and solve the mystery" he cupped her cheek with the hand not holding hers

"But if you think I'm a mystery, then you, then you love-"

"I love you Belle." He pulled her closer and kissed her. She never felt so happy. Right there, on the sidewalk of Storybrook, she was kissing the man she had grown to love.

"I love you too" she smiled

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Valentines Day (Day 7)

Belle looked at herself in the mirror, Ryan was taking her out tonight to a fancy Italian restaurant.

"Thank you Ryan" she said as she opened the door to him holding a large bouquet of roses "I'll put these in some water and then we can go. Come in."

"Thank you"

She put the Roses in a vase and they headed off to the restaurant. They had a lovely night. They looked around at all the happy couples and looked back at each other, "I'm glad we did this" Belle said as she reached across the table and took his hand

"As am I" he smiled

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-2 years later-

"Ryan Lennon Gold, do you take Belle to be you wife forever and always?"

"I do."

"And do you Belle Collette French take Ryan Gold to be your husband forever and always?"

"I do."

"By the power vested in me, by the state of Maine, I pronounce man and wife, you may kiss the bride."

Belle and Ryan kissed and felt happy, as they had a happy Valentine's Day and a great wedding. Valentine's Day was definitely a day to remember, as I was now and forever, their anniversary.

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I HOPE YALL LOVED IT! Sorry if it seemed kinda short, I was low on time but I wanted to get it out today. Happy Valentines Day everyone! ️️️

Keep Reading!!!


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